-Really interesting tidbit here; Randy Couture says he’s interested in a possible matchup with Lyoto Machida, the UFC’s Light Heavyweight champ according to MMA News via an interview with Couture at CardPlayer.com. While that match-up could be interesting, Machida might have a pretty full dance card in the upcoming future with ”Shogun” Rua and possibly “Rampage” Jackson. What is more interesting is the possibility of “The Natural” Couture moving back down to the Light Heavyweight division. Keep your eyes peeled next week as we will address this more in detail.
-Lost in the Nevada Sate Athletic Commission ruling to use Instant Replay in cases where necessary is another interesting ruling. The NSAC has instituted “The BJ Penn” rule to help prevent greasing.
-Kyle Bradley is out of UFC Fight Night 19.
-We have some non-Bisping UFC 105 fights that have actually been all but cemented.
First, Ultimate Fighter Season 8 welterweight winner James Wilks will fight another TUF alum, although not a winner, Matt Brown. Brown, another Fight Rumors favorfite, has been great since his loss to Amir Sadollah in the semi-finals of his season of The Ultimate Fighter. This is a tough test for Wilks and the winner will most likely gain traction into the upper tier of the welterweight division.
Second, the latest lightweight Ultimate Fighter winner Ross Pearson will also make his post-TUF debut on his home soil and is set to face Aaron Riley according to MMA Bay and MMA Forum. While Riley is a very capable opponent, I really believe that Ross Pearson could turn into a very good lightweight in the UFC and this match-up seems more in line with the UFC tradition of easing in their Ultimate Fighter winners with a winnable first fight.
-The guy who Wilks beat for his TUF Crown, Demarques Johnson, will also travel to England for UFC 105 as well as he is slated to face Peter Sobotta on what I have to believe is an undercard matchup.
Filed under: Fight Announcements, Updates
